By Logan Jones
Asst. Sports Editor
Northwestern’s newest athletic program looks to surprise a lot of people in their inaugural season.
Even though practices have yet to start, head coach Jill Lancaster has high hopes for her new team.“I feel as if we’re going to surprise a lot of other schools,” Lancaster said.
Lancaster is returning to NWOSU for her second year. Last year, she was the head coach for the Northwestern cross country team. A former track star herself, she showed off her talents while attending the University of Oklahoma.
It’s come full circle for me,” Lancaster said. “I started my track career at OU and I feel blessed that this school has given me the opportunity to coach here.”
This is not Lancaster’s first time around a track and field program. After graduating from Oklahoma with two bachelor’s degrees in 1983, she went on to coach programs at the University of Kansas and Kansas State before returning to OU in 1997.
With many accolades to her name, including being certified by the USA Track and Field Coaches Association as a Level I (general) and as a Level II (Endurance and Jumps) coach, Lancaster said she expects to really turn some heads come season.
Lancaster even has high praise for her assistant coach.
“With the addition of assistant coach, Brock Hime, the athletes are bound to receive more quality coaching,” Lancaster said.
However, it is not just the addition of a new program that has Lancaster excited. By providing a way for athletes to attend college and still compete while being closer to home opens makes things a lot easier on them Lancaster said.
“We’ve given athletes in the area the ability to further their athletic career while also providing them with a quality education,” Lancaster said. “That’s all you can ask for in the end.”